By a frustrating coincidence both my fixed broadband and my mobile broadband were down for a time this morning. Isn't it strange how annoyed you get when technology fails you, however briefly - it's a bit like god/the goddess: you take him/her/it for granted until something doesn't go quite the way you want it, and then blame him/her/it for every minor breakdown in communications!
Last night I went to the launch party for the "Book of English Magic." I was disappointed with the book: at £25 I thought it a rather expensive overview, though an interesting concept with lots of suggestions of things to do and places to go. If the AA ever did one of their expensive coffee table books on magical places it would be like this but with glossy photos added.
What's more to the point is something Richard Heygate said as an aside when he was interviewing me for the book: he said that his co-author was much more sceptical and more of a professional writer. He certainly, according to the list of publications, has authored other esoteric books. It just makes me wonder how many other books are written by people who just thought there was a market for a good title and don't really believe what they write. Maybe none, of course.
Friday, 26 June 2009
Wednesday, 3 June 2009
Defences Against the Witche's Craft
This little book is published by Avalonia
I found this little volume an entertaining and interesting read. I lent my copy to a woman I'm working with who is certain she is under psychic attack, because It explains some points extremely well. If I don't get my copy back for any reason, I'll buy another copy, because I think the chapters on paranoia and on identifying the source and discovering links are very well worth reading.
On a more general note, I can't see a lot of Wiccans actually approving of the book, because it sort of accepts the traditional country/church view of vindictive or amoral 'witches'. The folksy, historical stuff is interesting and interestingly told but sort of goes with titles like "How to Turn your Ex-Boyfriend Into a Toad" that I saw on the shelves of my local Borders - mind you, Borders might like this one on their shelves too!
Some of the advice is very sound indeed and, I wish I read some of it a long time ago, because it includes insights it has taken me years to learn for myself.It is a read from which could learn a lot!
Get the book from Amazon or post free at the cover price direct from Avalonia:
www.avaloniabooks.co.uk
I found this little volume an entertaining and interesting read. I lent my copy to a woman I'm working with who is certain she is under psychic attack, because It explains some points extremely well. If I don't get my copy back for any reason, I'll buy another copy, because I think the chapters on paranoia and on identifying the source and discovering links are very well worth reading.
On a more general note, I can't see a lot of Wiccans actually approving of the book, because it sort of accepts the traditional country/church view of vindictive or amoral 'witches'. The folksy, historical stuff is interesting and interestingly told but sort of goes with titles like "How to Turn your Ex-Boyfriend Into a Toad" that I saw on the shelves of my local Borders - mind you, Borders might like this one on their shelves too!
Some of the advice is very sound indeed and, I wish I read some of it a long time ago, because it includes insights it has taken me years to learn for myself.It is a read from which could learn a lot!
Get the book from Amazon or post free at the cover price direct from Avalonia:
www.avaloniabooks.co.uk
Saturday, 16 May 2009
Occult Problems: What Would You have Done?
If you came here from my website you will know that I offer free and unconditional help for those in psychic or occult difficulties. As I never keep contacts after the exchange of emails is over, I couldn't give you names if I wanted ... and I don't want, but here is a very early problem that came to my site about 6 years ago ---
An anonymous person that I came to think - from details given in several emails -was a female, older teenager from the eastern USA, living mostly with friends rather than family. She said that when she was younger she had an 'imaginary' friend/playmate, but had grown out him. At a recent point he had appeared again and wanted her to commit suicide. She had been physically prevented by 3 friends who were with her at the time. She feared she might be going mad.
This was a not very informative email, with nothing really to suggest a psychic connection, so II asked a number of questions, from which it transpired that the 4 of them had been playing with a ouija board while high on drugs - she swore it was only marijuana, but you can draw your own conclusions as I did.
One of the problems with drugs is that, as Dion Fortune observed, some of them "thin the veil between the Seen and the Unseen" and it is thus difficult when drugs are involved to tell whether there is a genuine occult problem as well as a drug problem.
What would you have thought/said/ done? Remember that I never ask for unnecessary details (though they're sometimes volunteered), so you don't know who you're talking to and you have no contact but email. All I felt able to do was tell my teenager that she probably wasn't going insane but urge her (and her friends) against mixing ouija boards and drugs (and preferably to give up both but they won't). Did they take any notice of my advice? I have no idea ... but I suspect that if the did it would be like a new year's resolution ... it would last for just a short time.
However, if you do want to make occult progress, some drugs do speed things up ... but at the expense of losing all personal control. There are some occult groups who won't accept you if you've ever taken recreational drugs and many more who won't accept you if you're taking them now.
An anonymous person that I came to think - from details given in several emails -was a female, older teenager from the eastern USA, living mostly with friends rather than family. She said that when she was younger she had an 'imaginary' friend/playmate, but had grown out him. At a recent point he had appeared again and wanted her to commit suicide. She had been physically prevented by 3 friends who were with her at the time. She feared she might be going mad.
This was a not very informative email, with nothing really to suggest a psychic connection, so II asked a number of questions, from which it transpired that the 4 of them had been playing with a ouija board while high on drugs - she swore it was only marijuana, but you can draw your own conclusions as I did.
One of the problems with drugs is that, as Dion Fortune observed, some of them "thin the veil between the Seen and the Unseen" and it is thus difficult when drugs are involved to tell whether there is a genuine occult problem as well as a drug problem.
What would you have thought/said/ done? Remember that I never ask for unnecessary details (though they're sometimes volunteered), so you don't know who you're talking to and you have no contact but email. All I felt able to do was tell my teenager that she probably wasn't going insane but urge her (and her friends) against mixing ouija boards and drugs (and preferably to give up both but they won't). Did they take any notice of my advice? I have no idea ... but I suspect that if the did it would be like a new year's resolution ... it would last for just a short time.
However, if you do want to make occult progress, some drugs do speed things up ... but at the expense of losing all personal control. There are some occult groups who won't accept you if you've ever taken recreational drugs and many more who won't accept you if you're taking them now.
Wednesday, 13 May 2009
Can you change your world?
Quantum Physics tells us that the apparently so-solid world around us an illusion, that atoms are mostly space and the nucleus - the biggest part - is infinitesimally small. If an atom were the size of Old Trafford Stadium the nucleus would be the size of a stud on Wayne Rooney's boot, but vibrating so fast that it creates the illusion of something solid. Some quantum physicists think the world is holographic in nature - a projection from a higher level.
Now for some logic: every part of the negative of a hologram contains the whole hologram, just as each cell of your body contains the genetic information of your whole body. You are part of the universe, so you are part of the hologram and thus part of the negative. If you change yourself you change the negative. If you change the negative you change the hologram. Thus, in a very real sense, you can the change the world in accordance with your will if it is holographic.
Now for some logic: every part of the negative of a hologram contains the whole hologram, just as each cell of your body contains the genetic information of your whole body. You are part of the universe, so you are part of the hologram and thus part of the negative. If you change yourself you change the negative. If you change the negative you change the hologram. Thus, in a very real sense, you can the change the world in accordance with your will if it is holographic.
Tuesday, 5 May 2009
Can you depend on Divination?
You can depend on divination, properly done: the problem lies with the diviner - the person providing the interpretation.
One can learn to cast a horoscope - it's a mathematical exercise (or even a click of a computer mouse). You can learn to generate the geomancy figures - that's an even simpler mechanical exercise (though it does involve invocations and the right frame of mind to do it properly) and one can learn, or even invent Tarot card spreads. You can even learn all the possible sequences of meaning of the cards ... in every case what matters is the interpretation of what the mathematical or mechanical exercise produces I don't have experience of I-Ching or Runes and my work with a crystal ball hasn't actually filled me with confidence, but the principle is the same - you can trust what you see, but the interpretation is another matter.
Some people are naturally psychic and are usually right. Israel Regardie suggested that a reading from him was 80% correct and work done by the Stanford Research Center for the CIA suggested that remote viewing was accurate about 66% of the time.
The trouble is that the diviner brings all of her/his experiences, background and prejudices to the interpretation and one must see beyond them, or at least recognise that they are a filter, perhaps operating unconsciously. You can trust the divination - the diviner is another matter!
One can learn to cast a horoscope - it's a mathematical exercise (or even a click of a computer mouse). You can learn to generate the geomancy figures - that's an even simpler mechanical exercise (though it does involve invocations and the right frame of mind to do it properly) and one can learn, or even invent Tarot card spreads. You can even learn all the possible sequences of meaning of the cards ... in every case what matters is the interpretation of what the mathematical or mechanical exercise produces I don't have experience of I-Ching or Runes and my work with a crystal ball hasn't actually filled me with confidence, but the principle is the same - you can trust what you see, but the interpretation is another matter.
Some people are naturally psychic and are usually right. Israel Regardie suggested that a reading from him was 80% correct and work done by the Stanford Research Center for the CIA suggested that remote viewing was accurate about 66% of the time.
The trouble is that the diviner brings all of her/his experiences, background and prejudices to the interpretation and one must see beyond them, or at least recognise that they are a filter, perhaps operating unconsciously. You can trust the divination - the diviner is another matter!
Monday, 4 May 2009
Magic Without Tears (or Study)
There is a feeling at large that somehow Magic can be made easy, that there is some kind of secret shortcut to unlimited power and wealth, which can be bought if you can only find someone to sell it. I''m sorry to say that's not the case. There are those on the web who charge a lot for 'secret knowledge' or offer 'astral initiation' for a substantial fee, but knowledge is free.
Knowledge itself is free in financial terms, but makes demands of time, priorities, study, concentration and so on. As Dion Fortune remarked: "All initiation is self initiation - all the initiator does is present you, as ready as possible and with the right ritual to the Lord of the Universe , who works in silence.
All the same, a teacher must sometimes charge to live - venue hire websites and advertising all cost money. The question you must ask is whether the Labourer is worthy of the hire.
Secrecy only arrived as a way of self preservation in a hostile world, of keeping a job in an unfriendly world and of making sure that a seeker is ready for that which is sought. We have an obligation not to pass on skills which will do psychological damage.
Knowledge itself is free in financial terms, but makes demands of time, priorities, study, concentration and so on. As Dion Fortune remarked: "All initiation is self initiation - all the initiator does is present you, as ready as possible and with the right ritual to the Lord of the Universe , who works in silence.
All the same, a teacher must sometimes charge to live - venue hire websites and advertising all cost money. The question you must ask is whether the Labourer is worthy of the hire.
Secrecy only arrived as a way of self preservation in a hostile world, of keeping a job in an unfriendly world and of making sure that a seeker is ready for that which is sought. We have an obligation not to pass on skills which will do psychological damage.
Thursday, 30 April 2009
Shangri-la
To continue the last posting - still entirely experimental: I don't think anybody's reading it but me - one of my favourite books is 'Lost Horizons', the original 'Shangri-la story. 4 assorted people find their aircraft hijacked and end up at the lamasary of Shangri-la in a remote part of Tibet. Miss Brinklow is an elderly and rather rigid missionary. Talking to their hos,t who goes simply by the name of 'Chang', she demands to know what the lamas believe ...
"I of course, believe in the true religion."
'Madam," Chang replied, in his correct and carefully flavoured English, "Must we believe that, because one religion is true, all others must be false."
It seems to me Chang was making the same point as Kahlil Gibran, quoted in the last posting. He goes on to remark when, later in the book he is showing them round another temple of a different order down in the valle ...
"The jewel has many facets."
The jewel of return to the divine source is precious and our own path must be special enough, but we must remember that "the jewel has facets" and we should avoid (as far as we can) being dismissive of any other path, even when we think it is entirely wrong for us.
"I of course, believe in the true religion."
'Madam," Chang replied, in his correct and carefully flavoured English, "Must we believe that, because one religion is true, all others must be false."
It seems to me Chang was making the same point as Kahlil Gibran, quoted in the last posting. He goes on to remark when, later in the book he is showing them round another temple of a different order down in the valle ...
"The jewel has many facets."
The jewel of return to the divine source is precious and our own path must be special enough, but we must remember that "the jewel has facets" and we should avoid (as far as we can) being dismissive of any other path, even when we think it is entirely wrong for us.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)